Green Galaxy™ Opaque Core Base is a water based mixing base that adds opacity, body, and wash-fastness to pigment or Pantone® mixed water based ink. By adding 20% Opaque Core to Clear Core Base and then adding your color pigment, you can thicken your ink, allowing for easier overprinting on Green Galaxy™ Comet White. If printing directly onto light fabrics, Opaque Core also helps the ink stay on top of the fibers of the shirt instead of sitting in the fibers of the shirt. This will help the water based ink appear to wash better over time and also gives much more of a plastisol or bold look to the print vs. a distressed or washed water based look.
Printing on dark garments? Underprint using Comet White and overprint using Clear Core + 20% Opaque Core + pigment color in order to add body and opacity to your overprint.
Printing on polyester dye migrating fabrics? Add Warp Drive to Comet White and Clear Core to lower the curing point and avoid dye migration.
General Information:
Opaque Core can be mixed with Clear Core Base at a ratio of 20-50%. The more Opaque Core that is mixed into the base the thicker the ink will become. We recommend starting with a mixing ratio base of 80% Clear Core and 20% Opaque Core and then adding your water based pigment to that mixture.
Mesh Guidelines:
Can be used with any mesh between 156-305
Stencil/Emulsion Guidelines:
We recommend using a water-resistant emulsion like Baselayr Complete. It is recommended to degrease your screens with Baselayr Emulsion Prep. For extended screen life and long print runs it is recommended to post expose the screens and/or use an emulsion hardener like Baselayr Emulsion Hardener.
Mixing info:
This product can be mixed with Clear Core, Comet White, Green Galaxy Pigments, as well as other water based pigments such as R2O CMS (link). If using R2O CMS Pigments add 10% pigment by weight to your Core Base.
Printing Instructions:
Load screen with plenty of ink. Flood screen prior to printing. Opaque Core Bases can be printed with a push or pull squeegee stroke. After printing, flood screen allowing ink to sit on top of image to avoid drying. If screen clogs or exhibits dry ink in the print, re-flood and aggressively print again, this should clear the screen. If it does not clear the screen, spray a small amount of warm water into the stuck areas of the screen and wipe out with a rag. If you are leaving your screen for an extended period of time be sure to leave your screen flooded completely. If your ink begins to scale over, spray with water to re-wet ink. White can be printed with other water based inks and with plastisol inks.
Flashing Instructions:
For flashing, forced air flash is optimal. Flash until dry to the touch.
Curing Instructions:
Printed fabric should be cured for a minimum of 90 seconds at 360¡F surface temp. Ideally, printed fabric should be cured for three minutes at 320¡F. Always test your cure by performing abrasion and wash tests prior to sale of garment.
Testing/Precautions:
After printing, perform a stretch test to ensure elasticity. It is always recommend to perform a wash test to ensure proper cure prior to going into production. You may also run abrasion testing to watch for flaking and test adhesion. Increase cure dwell time if testing fails.
Clean Up:
Ink should be removed from the screen as soon as printing is completed. General wash-up (on ink that has not dried) can be done with water, though using Enviro-Solve is much easier and recommended. For aggressive or dried screens, use Enviro-Solve to dissolve ink and blast out areas of stuck ink with water pressure.
Storage info:
Keep container(s) tightly closed. Store in cool, well ventilated location that is locked.
General Safety Precautions:
Do not breathe vapors. Wear protective gloves. Do not eat, drink or smoke when using the product. Wash hands thoroughly after handling. Dispose of this product in accordance with local, regional, national and international regulations as specified.
United States